Bruins Shut Out Penguins in Series Opener

(David Krejci scored twice as the Bruins take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals)

Well we kept saying that the Bruins biggest advantage, and actually some might have said their only advantage, was in net. That was proven in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Tuukka Rask was on his game last night, he stopped all 29 shots he faced and got his first carrer playoff shutout. I will admit that there were two posts hit by the Penguins, but they both came on the power play. So, as for the Bruin's scorers. David Krejci got it started when he ripped a slapshot toward goal. It deflected off of Penguins defenseman Martin and then it squeaked through the legs on Thomas Vokoun to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. In the first, Mcquaid would go down as he got hit from behind hard into the boards. Who was the hitter? Yep, you guessed it, Matt Cooke. The so called "changed player" went from up to Mcquaid and hit from behind. Like I said in my last post, Cooke was the player who ended Marc Savard's career. Mcquaid was down on the ice for about 10 seconds but he got up under his own power. He would go to the dressing room but would return in the second. The game had a very fast pace from beginning to end. Both teams had their chances. I would have liked if the Bruins gave up less penalties, but Rask was up to the task. There was no scoring in the second period, but there was something else. As the teams were heading to the dressing rooms at the end of the second, Sidney Crosby of all people made a little shove to Rask, Rask then came back at him with a little slash. Chara wasn't having any of that and he got Crosby away from Rask. Then Crosby started yelling and saying stuff to Chara, yes people, Crosby!!! Chara would kill him, no offense to Crosby. You know, actually, yes offense to Crosby. Then of course when the lineman steps in between them Crosby decides to thrown a punch (actually it was more of a shove). As all this was going on, Patrice Bergeron and Evgeni Malkin dropped the gloves. Malkin had a clear advantage in this one was he took down Bergeron right away and Bergeron would come up bleeding. In the third now, Nathan Horton won a great puck battle along the boards and got the puck to Krejci. Krejci shot it on net and the rebound went off Vokoun and popped into the air, when it came back down on the ice, Krejci was able to jam it in for his second goal of the game. The Bruins would then end it when a pass across the crease led to a wide open net for Nathan Horton and he didn't miss and the Bruins take game 1, 3-0.

The Bruins should be very happy with their performance. The defense, along with Rask who was outstanding, held the Penguins scoreless for the first time this postseason. The Bruins are now the only playoff team to not be shut out in the playoffs yet. Game 2 is Monday.

~Anthony